Symbolism of the Name Pi in Yann Martel's Novel Life of Pi - Essay Example

Symbolism of the Name Pi in Yann Martel's Novel 'Life of Pi This paper makes an analysis of the name Pi's symbolism in the context of the novel 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel, and in the context of the main character himself. The relationship between Piscine Patel, and his name Pi are profound. The exploration of this relationship throughout the novel yields a nuanced understanding of the hero. As in the infinity and irrationality that the number pi signifies, so too is the man-boy's psyche and character infinite in its depth His views of the world are as unconventional as the mathematics of pi. At the same time, the title of the novel too bears a likeness to aspects of infinity that the number pi suggests. The exploration of the life of the boy at sea, viewed from the subjective perspective of Pi, is the stuff of the novel. That stuff itself defies closure, in a way, in the same way that pi extends forever into infinity and does not seem to repeat itself. It has no end. Pi's views on who he is, what spirituality is and what the meaning of life is constantly shifts, and cannot rest on conclusion. Everything is touch and go, moves forward without pause and without repetition (Martel). For instance one take on pi as a number representing infinity is Pi's take on life and what reality is, as something that is grounded not on the intellect, reason, and the mental faculties, but on something infinite, It is based on love, with fuzzy and undefined boundaries, not something that cannot be grasped fully, but only lived (Martel 62): Words of divine consciousness: moral exaltation; lasting feelings of elevation, elation, joy; a quickening of the moral sense, which strikes one as more important than an intellectual understanding of things; an alignment of the universe along moral lines, not intellectual ones; a realization of the founding principle of existence is what we call love, which works itself out sometimes not clearly, not immediately ,nonetheless ineluctably (Martel 62) The worldview seems to not limited to a particular way of thinking about God, but includes and expands. Pi's views in fact goes beyond mere intellect, to include his conception of morality, and love. Love itself is not something fixed, not a definite reality like an ordinary number, but something hazy and extends into the beyond, like the number pi. In one passage his vision is a representation of this seemingly infinite reality too. It is as if Pi was incapable of thinking in ordinary terms, but could only see the world in accordance with an inner map that was all horizon everywhere he looked. Or it could be that he had to think that way in order to make sense of his fantastic circumstances at sea. With no boundary in sight but that endless void that pushed as far as the eye could see, he viewed his condition in terms of infinities (Martel 196): To be a castaway is to be a point perpetually at the centre of a circle. However much things may appear to change—the sea may shift from whisper to rage, the sky might go from fresh blue to blinding white to darkest black—the geometry never changes. Your gaze is always a radius. The circumference is ever great. In fact, the circles multiply. To be a castaway is to be caught in a harrowing ballet of circles. You are at the centre of one circle, while above you two opposing circles spin about (Martel 196) If Pi is not thinking and seeing the world in grand sweeps and infinities, he is looking at the world and living it aware of contradictions. His world is full of gray areas, and opposites that seem to juxtapose themselves at every turn, making life difficult in general. It is as unpredictable as the number pi in its progression. It makes him unable to rest at an idea or a vision of reality with which one can organize one's life and be at peace. Life for Pi, like his name, is made up of these irrationalities. Sometimes they are full of grim things (Martel 197): Otherwise, to be a castaway is to be caught up in grim and exhausting opposites. When it is light, the openness of the sea is blinding and frightening. When it is dark, the darkness is claustrophobic. When it is day, you are hot and wish to be cool and dream of ice cream and pour sea water on yourself. When it is night you are cold and wish to be warm and dream of hot curries; and wrap yourself in blankets...When there is food, there is too much of it and you must feast. When there is none, there is truly none and you starve (Martel 197). To understand the psyche of the hero Pi is to get a glimpse into the profound workings of the boy's consciousness. The context is that the great adventure of being a castaway at sea with a tiger, with nothing but his wits and his self-proddings to keep him together. The the unusual thought processes and vision of Pi reflects just how profound the whole situation is, and how fantastic. One almost gets used to the idea, after a time, of the boy being stuck at sea and surviving in the way that he did in spite of great odds. Yet page after page the reader encounters thoughts and events that jar one out of a sense of complacency. It is like the number itself, surprising with every digit because it cannot be predicted. Pi represents that part of life that gives no occasion for any ordinariness to seep in. The very nature of the adventure requires a consciousness that is as wide-ranging and absurd as Pi's. In the end that is what the name connotes, a refusal to settle down by necessity. It is an act of survival. The understanding that we get out of reading the character's life in terms of the number pi includes that his unusual thinking and psyche is something that was needed in order for Pi to survive like he did. When he wept in the end, we cry with him. We cry not because we fully understand but because we are like friends seeing a marvelous human being with a psyche that is as vast and wide as his name signifies. We cry because we share in his triumph (Martel 258): I wept like a child. It was not because I was overcome at having survived the ordeal, though I was. Nor was it the presence of my brothers and sisters, though that was very moving. I was weeping because Richard Parker had left me so unceremoniously...I wish I had said, “Richard Parker, it's over. We have survived. Can you believe it? I owe you more gratitude than I can express...You will always be with me, in my heart” (Martel 258) Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. 2003. Mariner Books Read More